The Core of the Stone
by randomramblings
Summary: Aragorn accidentally offends a member of an infamous guild. Soon, he and Legolas are forced to flee for their lives with the guild hot on their heels... the gates are barred, will they escape in time?
1. Dark Beginnings

Disclaimer: All facts and characters related to Tolkien's works are his.

Summary: Aragorn accidentally offends the member of an infamous guild in the town which he and Legolas have stopped at for the night. The two are forced to flee for their lives but when the gates have been barred and there is no way out… how long can the two friends escape the clutches of the guild…

~*~

**The Core of the Stone**

**Chapter I – Dark Beginnings **

Three sharp knocks on the door followed by two shorter ones and a final hard rap, bade the door warden to slide open the small hole in the door which allowed him to communicate with the person on the other side. 

His steely eyes bore into the figure barely visible in the darkness. The person shifted uneasily and murmured a short string of words under his breath. The door warden caught them and lowered his gaze, swinging the door swiftly open with one hand. The stranger stepped into the house and the door shut quietly behind him. Outside, the yellow orb in the sky disappeared from view as a cloud shielded it from sight and the last remaining light disappeared, casting the place into shadow.  

The room had no windows. Save for the door through which he had just entered, there was no other visible way of exiting the room. The man remained clocked as did all in the room. He sat down stiffly in the last available chair and the air seemed to crackle with anticipation. The meeting could now begin. All faces turned slightly to the head of the table expectantly. 

"You are all very privileged to be here tonight … the price is small  for you will get much in return. All that will be forfeit should you decide to turn your back on me is your life as well as the life of all in your family."

The speaker paused. Those watching caught a glimpse of a pair of green eyes from under the mask as the light from a solitary lamp flickered.  

"And I assure you their deaths will not be a pretty sight." He stopped again, gauging the effect of his words. The twelve men sitting at the table sat still as statures, though many resisted the urge to flinch at these words. 

Under the wooden mask, the man smiled grimly to himself. _Let the games begin…_ The night was still young and there were still many things to be said and done err the morn arrived.

Hours later, the same man who had been the last to arrive left stealthily wincing slightly as the burn on his left ankle throbbed painfully. It was there as a reminder of his pledge to their cause. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he had made the wrong decision. It did not matter; it was too late to turn back. 

~*~ 

_A decade later… _

Aragorn leaned lazily back, balancing the chair precariously on its two back legs. He gave a contented sigh and folded his arms across his chest. Legolas watched him with a smile on his face. It was a rare occasion that the ranger felt safe enough to let his guard down and just relax. 

Just then, the chair creaked ominously and the two legs on which Aragorn's weight was now supported started moving forward, tilting the ranger dangerously backward. Legolas' eyes widened and he shot out a hand, catching the chair and placing it firmly back on four legs before it could tip the ranger onto the ground. 

Aragorn grinned sheepishly at his friend and gave a soft laugh.

"Honestly, you_ should_ be more careful you know." The stubborn man ignored this statement and stood up stretching like a cat. 

"I have heard that too many times…"

"Well, you_ should_ think about following it.  It _is_ quite a good piece of advice and it would save you a great deal of unnecessary pain and suffering… "

A smug look appearing on his face, the man declared in triumph. 

"That proves it!"

"That proves what?" The elf turned  his friend in puzzlement.

"It proves, my dear Legolas, that _you_ are becoming more and more…" Here, he paused for effect. 

"… like my mother."

The insulted elf, glared at Aragorn and opened his mouth to retaliate. However, thinking better of it, he promptly shut his mouth again and resumed his observation of the happenings outside the window. 

"Whatever you say, it is still a good piece of advice. Good night mellon nin, I suggest you take some rest."

Satisfied that he had gotten the better of the elf, the ranger moved to rest on the bed. 

Legolas' gaze traveled upward and he began to sing softly. Soothed by the melodious voice of the elf, Aragorn soon fell into a peaceful sleep.  

_Several hours later…_

The innkeeper blew out the flame of his candle; it flickered before going out completely, a spiral of smoke rising above it. Soon, all in the inn were silent.

Unbeknownst to everyone, a shadow was climbing nimbly up a pipe which ran just outside one of the windows. With a graceful leap, it clambered through the window and into the room. 

It padded softly towards the occupant of the bed who was snoring slightly in a deep sleep. The shadowy figure reached to its belt and drew out a small dagger. The sleeping man did not stir. With a sharp movement, he slit the throat of the slumbering man. 

His eyes widened in pain and shock. He gasped and choked on his own blood. A shudder and the body went limp, the head lolling to one side. Gruesome ruby stains had begun to spread on the blanket but by that time, the assassin had already left the scene of the crime. 

TBC… 

** Review please!!! **


	2. Trouble Brewing

Disclaimer: All Facts and Characters related to Tolkien's works are his. 

**The Core of the Stone**

**Chapter II – Trouble Brewing**

Aragorn awoke to a beam of warm sunlight shining onto his face. The air was cool and a slight mist hung about the slowly waking town. He opened his eyes, and blearily looked around the room. He wasn't surprised to find his friend missing. Indeed, it would be a strange thing if he was still there when the ranger had awakened. He knew the wood elf preferred the outdoors to the restrictive four walls of a house. 

As though he had read his thoughts, the elf walked into the room and closed the door carefully behind him. A frown marred the youthful face of the woodland prince and his lips were set into a grim line. 

"What is it Legolas?" Aragorn finally ventured after a few moments of tense silence had fallen over the place. 

Legolas answered slowly, still mulling over his thoughts. 

"There has been a …break in."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Not really…" 

The elf was being annoyingly vague and a note of irritation had begun to creep into the man's voice when he next spoke. 

"So what has happened?"

Sensing his friend's anxiety, the elf raised his eyes and gave Aragorn his full attention at last.

"A man is dead. They know not who could have done it… I think it would be best if we leave this place as early as possible. Danger lurks around the corner.."

Living around elves for most of his life, Aragorn knew it wise to heed the feelings of one. He nodded his head in agreement and began to pull on his boots. They would leave before the sun was highest in the sky. 

~*~

Aragorn tucked into his breakfast ravenously, smiling friendlily up at the girl who had served him. He glanced at Legolas who sat silently next to him, his silence broken only by the slight crunch of an apple as he bit into it. The elf's thoughts were far away…

… Legolas _had awakened early as was his wont. Not long after he had left the elven dreams of his people, he had gone outside to enjoy the crisp air of the morning. His light feet barely made imprints in the dirt as he strolled slowly down the empty streets. He sang softly to himself as he walked along, his head lifted to greet the brightening sky. The sun spread her long arms over the earth, sweeping over the land and embracing it with her warmth. The leaves of a skinny tree by the roadside trembled as the wind passed by. All was quiet. The town of men was just beginning to stir. _

_When he returned to the inn, the feeling of unsettledness was tangible. The atmosphere in the house seemed almost too still and if one sniffed hard enough, it seemed as though they was the slight smell of something rotting, in the air. _

_Four men appeared at the top of the stairs, a white stretcher between them. The innkeeper's distressed voice could be heard in low undertones, just behind them. _

_"Careful now… easy there… watch the stairs. Don't want to wake the others do we?" He whispered almost under his breath. The four men traveled carefully down the stairs. Their faces were solemn. As they neared the bottom, Legolas could see a  mass shrouded in white lying on the roughly made stretcher. One of the men stumbled and the cloth slid slightly off, revealing the head of the body beneath. Legolas started slightly before regaining his composure. The cloth was hurriedly pulled back into place. _

_The innkeeper's eyes met his as the men left the building with him in the rear. The old man looked ten times older than the elf. Lines radiated from the corners of his eyes and there were dark bags under his eyes. His brow was furrowed with worry and he looked haggard and pale. His eyes pleaded with Legolas not to share what he had seen with others. Legolas gave an almost imperceptible nod and turned away. _

_The body which had been carried away had died horribly. A large gash across the throat, which had severed the windpipe, had killed the victim. The gruesomeness of the murder was not what bothered Legolas. What bothered him more was the secrecy in the death. Why was the innkeeper not at all in a state of shock… He had simply accepted it calmly, as though it was an ordinary happening…_

A loud belch from a nearby table made Legolas attend to the present once again. Aragorn gave a chuckle at the look of disgust at the refined elf's face. He sobered though, when the serious expression on Legolas' face remained. The peaceful feeling from the day before was gone leaving in its wake a sense of anticipation which the ranger couldn't quite place.

One thing was for sure, the sooner they left this place, the better.

~*~

Aragorn paused on his way out of the inn, he could hear the muffled sounds of a scuffle coming from inside the kitchen. The sound of flesh hitting flesh followed by painful sobs had halted his footsteps. 

His lips curled in disgust as he moved closer to the entrance of the door to the kitchen and realized it was the innkeeper's wife who was hitting one of the servants. Upon closer examination, he realized that it was the girl whom had served him earlier. His frown deepened as he saw the women reach out a hand and twist the girl's ear viciously. 

He wondered if he should interfere. It was not his place after all, but surely this was not right? His mental dilemma lasted only a few seconds more he saw the older women box the girl's ears cruelly. 

He stepped forward determinedly into the room. The girl looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. Fear was written all over her face. The innkeeper's wife turned sharply towards him

"What do you want?" She snapped angrily. Aragorn hesitated, not knowing quite what to do. 

A warm hand on his shoulder told him that Legolas was behind. 

"I am sorry for bothering you, my lady… but there is a man at the back door who requires your presence and sent us to look for you."

The polite tone of the elf seemed to placate the female and her ire cooled a little. She gave the girl a few short orders and left to see to the supposed visitor.

The girl whom they had saved from further abuse gave them a grateful glance and hurried away to carry out her chores.  Firmly, the elf led the ranger out of the inn. 

"You are too impulsive for your own good."

"You are not actually implying I should have let her go on hitting the girl."

"From what I know, I think it is quite a common occurrence in human kind… the hitting of their young when they disobey orders… or fail to follow instructions." Aragorn fell silent at this. He knew it was not a big deal. Children were punished this way all the time. He followed Legolas in silence, barely noticing as they squeezed through the crowded street. 

TBC…

**Who wants more? Review!!! **

_Note: I'm not supporting child abuse… but from what I know, I think physical punishment used to be more common in the past. _

**Response to Reviews:**

**Anastasia who:** I love that you always review. :o) It really helps me to keep motivated. Yes, I did change my name, and I just realized it matches this story rather well… hope you'll enjoy this story. Thank you for reviewing as always! 

**Deana:** elf angst will arrive shortly… thanx for reading and reviewing :o) 

**Iccle**** fairy:** I would NEVER kill Aragorn… maybe put him through a bit of pain and misery but… kill? Nope! Where would be the fun in that? Thanx for the review! 

**Inwe**** Elendil:** You'll have to wait a couple more chappies for the Legoangst to come on, I'm afraid… writing as fast as I can, so hope you stick around :o)

**Elven**** Kitten:**  Thanx for the compliments! 

**Coolio02:** You'll find out who was killed in later chapters… thanx for reading!  


	3. Easier said then done

Disclaimer: All characters and facts related to Tolkien's works are his.

**The Core of the Stone**

**Chapter III – Easier said then Done**

The crowd of people thinned as they neared the large wooden gates of the town. Large groups of traders were herded out of the place by burly looking guardsmen.

The wheel of an old wooden cart got stuck in a rut, it perched precariously on that wheel before tipping over completely, spilling its contents of dried fruits and meat onto the ground. The mass of people skirted around the over turned cart, leaving its owner to stare miserably at his wrecked goods. Slowly, he bent down the salvage what he could of them.

The old man was startled by a movement to his left. To his immerse surprise; a young man was helping him pick up his precious goods.

Legolas turned around and gave a soft un- elven like growl of frustration. Aragorn had disappeared again. Scanning the crowd, he finally spotted the man near an over turned cart, picking up objects from the ground and placing them carefully back on it. Swiftly, he turned around and soon made his way to the ranger's side.

"At this rate, we should reach the gates- which are only a few yards away I might add – in a couple of days or two." He whispered into his friend's ear as he bent down to offer his assistance.

"I'm sorry…" Aragorn looked apologetically at the elf; but Legolas' gaze softened. He would have stopped anyway had he been near when the accident happened.

Suddenly, the old man whom the cart belonged to slipped and fell hard onto the ground. Dazed, he groped around for something to grasp onto and pull himself up. His hands met a clothed leg.

The owner of the limb stiffened at the contact and gazed downwards. With a shudder, he bent down and pried the old man's fingers away from his leg.

A firm hand helped the fallen man from the ground and glared angrily at the one whose leg had been touched. Aragorn deliberately shoved past him as he led the older man away. He did not notice the look of disdain and anger etched into the other's face.

"Thank you… thank you m'boy." The old man murmured gratefully

"You must come to my house for a meal.  I live just across the street… I cannot let the help you have given go unpaid."

So adamant and anxious was the old man to thank the ranger and the elf properly for their help that the two could scarcely refuse.

Carlhiater's house was warm and friendly. His wife welcomed the two strangers with open arms once he had informed them of all they had done for him.  Before they knew it, they were hustled into two comfortable chairs and had a plate of steaming hot food before them. The fare was good.

Aragorn wiped his mouth the back of his hand and made a sound of contentment. He politely thanked his hostess' for the meal and began to look about the room as he waited for Legolas to finish. It was clear that Carlhiater was not wealthy. He felt slightly guilty about taking the old couple's food.

The one outstanding furnishing of the otherwise drab room was an old painting of a young boy. He had the look of both Carlhiater and his wife. 

"Who is that boy in the picture?"

The man and his wife, who were sitting across him at the table froze. There was an awkward pause before the woman remarked with forced cheeriness, " He is… was… my son. He is gone now."

Aragorn flinched, he had unknowingly touched on a painful topic. He shot Carlhiater an apologetic look.

The man hurriedly soothed his worries with a small smile.

"It is of no matter. He is gone now, My wife and I are learning to put it past us." At this, he put an arm around his wife's shoulder.

"What happened to him?" The quiet voice of Legolas questioned gently, probing further into the matter.

"He left one day and never returned…" The woman replied, her voice trailing off. She got up to clear the table. The subject was closed. Their hospitable host insisted they stay the night and put them up in what had once been his son's room…

The new day broke, gray and drab. A gloom seemed to have fallen over the town and the bustle of the day before had gone. The air was chilly and the streets looked empty and forsaken. The melancholic clopping of a horse sounded on the cobblestones before fading away into the distance.

A rap on the door was heard and then the sound of someone opening it. A thud followed. Footsteps sounded on the stairs followed by a painful high note and sobs of anguish. The troubles had begun with the coming of the dawn.

**TBC…**

**Please Review! **


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